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His portrayal of "Richie" on the HBO series "Looking" brought Raúl Castillo some serious recognition and started moving him into bigger and better parts. One such role is "Pops" in the astonishing queer coming-of-age film "We The Animals" (in theaters now) directed by Jeremiah Zagar from the Justin Torres best-seller. Castillo talks in depth about his process of bringing this complex character to life, and the importance of owning your space as an actor. Plus we do a deep-dive into the straight man's approach to same-sex on-camera kissing.

His performances in "Spring Awakening" and "American Idiot" are probably what John Gallagher Jr. is most known for at the moment (he won a Tony for the former), and are often what get him labeled a "musical theater guy," but they were the only musicals he's done in his nearly 20 year career. I ask him about two recent play productions ("Long Day's Journey Into Night" and "Jerusalem") that I suspect were very formative for him, and his latest screen role in the important and moving indie "The Miseducation of Cameron Post." And, of course, I couldn't let him go without talking about Sorkin.

Seven seasons on the sitcom "That 70's Show" led Topher Grace to roles in Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic," "In Good Company," a not entirely successful turn as "Venom" in "Spider Man 3," and lighter projects like "Win A Date With Tad Hamilton," and "Valentine's Day." He then decided to change the trajectory of his career. He told his agents he wanted to work exclusively with great film artists in environments that inspired him. Worthy projects like "Interstellar," "Truth" and "War Machine" followed. And this year, Grace's next chapter continues with David Robert Mitchell's "Under the Silver Lake" and the challenging role of David Duke in Spike Lee's "Blackkklansman" (Opening August 10th). In our woefully brief time together, Grace talks about his work in a charmingly straightforward and insightful way.

The "stay positive and keep it simple" approach Ann Dowd has toward her work is truly inspiring. A go-to character-actor-extraordinaire for 30 years, she has now received wide acclaim (and an Emmy) for her portrayal of the terrifyingly devout Aunt Lydia in "The Handmaid's Tale." And her pitch perfect performance in Craig Zobel's "Compliance" is, in my opinion, a tour de force for the ages. In this half hour, she talks about the nuts and bolts of playing these roles and generously lets us peek "under the hood" at the inner workings of her craft. Inspiration is guaranteed.

Grace Rex has been a series regular on the British sitcom "High and Dry," a recurring guest star on "The Good Wife," and had roles in "Master of None", "Mindhunter" and "Boardwalk Empire," among many other TV shows and films. For me, her finespun and hilarious work in Ingrid Jungermann's "Women Who Kill" solidified her place among the uniquely talented comedic actors to watch. We talk about one special moment in that film, the "bizarre" endeavor of auditioning, and NOT getting into a co-dependent relationship with acting.

We really get to know the brilliant actor Theodore Bouloukos in this hour. He lets us peek in on him as a child fascinated, perhaps to a peculiar degree, with design, typography, and channel logos. And then what led him to performance art with Brock Enright and others, and the "self training" of student film parts that led to feature roles and works exhibited and staged the world over. We learn the components that now make him a unique talent in the New York film world. I am thrilled and privileged that we get to take a journey inside the gifted mind of this one-of-a-kind performer, and I think you will be as well.

John Christopher Jones is a veteran "actor's actor" with many Broadway shows including Simon Gray's "Otherwise Engaged" (directed by Harold Pinter), "Hurlyburly" (directed by Mike Nichols), "The Iceman Cometh" (with Jason Robards), and Shaw's "Heartbreak House." He is the subject of a documentary film, "The Endgame Project," which follows him in his tenth year with Parkinson's as he rehearses and performs Beckett's masterpiece. A "text-lover" through and through, he continues to translate the major plays of Chekov (he received a Lortel Award for his version of "The Cherry Orchard") and work on his memoir. I've often heard the word "craftsman" used in relation to an actor, but not until talking to Mr. Jones did its full meaning sink in.

There is, perhaps, no actor at the moment more synonymous with New York indie filmmaking than Keith Poulson. His uncanny comedic sensibilities first caught my attention in Bob Byington's "Somebody Up There Likes Me." He's since honed his mastery of the low key "throw away" in dozens of low budget gems and appeared in nearly everything made recently by the prolific Brooklyn filmmakers Alex Ross Perry and Nathan Silver. He got to stretch his wings a bit in Zach Clark's "Little Sister," where he played a severely disfigured Iraq War veteran. We talk about the incestuous world of independent film acting in New York City, why he can't do sit-coms, and the beauty of Ctrl-F.

Not every ingénue is deserving of the attention Zoey Deutch is about to get. But this 23 year old already has the miraculous and mysterious skill of a veteran actor. Since her brilliantly nuanced performance in "Flower," I have wanted to find out the secret to her magic. Her natural talent shines equally bright in heart-wrenching dramas such as "Before I Fall" and wild comedies like "The Year of Spectacular Men." And now she has delivered a rom-com-pantheon-worthy performance opposite Glen Powell in the Netflix film "Set It Up." We talk about "process and not outcome," being "right for a part and not just liking it," and the "miracle" (my word) of The Pizza Scene. To say Zoey Deutch is about to be a giant star somehow belittles the power and artistry I believe she possesses. Instead, allow me to introduce her with one word I use sparingly: Maestro.

Glen Powell gives me hope for the future of the movie industry. He crushed the role of legendary astronaut John Glenn in "Hidden Figures," and donned some 80s duds in Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some," but he really grabbed my attention in the brand new Netflix rom-com "Set It Up," where, in my humble opinion, he has crafted a classic, for-all-time, romantic lead performance opposite the incomparable Zoey Deutch. We talk about his process in general and do a deep dive into his work in "Set It Up" in particular. And by the end, I come closer to understanding why this movie works so well. Hint number one: Glen Powell.